Metal internal-wall structure for shelf supporting brackets and wallboard



Feb. 28, 1967 c, B|GG5 ETAL METAL INTERNAL-WALL STRUCTURE FOR SHELF SUPPORTING BRACKETS AND WALLBOARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21, 1964 I NVENTORS 4/4 /51 6. 5/665 V 4 d/R 7' TTURZV Feb. 28, 1967 A. c. BIGGS ET AL 3,305,981

METAL INTERNAL-WALL STRUCTURE FOR SHELF SUPPORTING BRACKETS AND WALLBOARD Filed April 21, 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 2 w w w a Z w w mm 0 AW/ v Mb V a 5 mm N m M v6 T. 7 m 7 M ,A A i 0 w 6 4 6 4 5 L| L 5 M 6 y 3 4 Q 4 0 5 4 a a d w m w F w M Feb. 28, 1967 51965 ET AL 3,305,981

METAL INTERNAL-WALL STRUCTURE FOR SHELF SUPPORTING BRACKETS AND WALLBOARD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 21, 1964 INVENTORS. 6. 5/665 United States Patent Ofilice 3,305,981 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,305,981 METAL INTERNAL-WALL STRUCTURE FOR SHELF SUPPORTING BRACKETS AND WALLBOARD Ariel C. Biggs, Whittier, and Morley R. Turner, Newport Beach, Calif., assignors to Angeles Metal Trim Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 361,457 18 Claims. (CI. 5236) This invention relates to wall structures for buildings and especially to such wall structures wherein metal studs are employed.

A particular object of this invention is to provide such a vertical wall structure with which wallboard, such as plaster-board, may be used and also with which shelf brackets may be adjustably mounted, especially for store use. Y

More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a vertical metal wall structure which may be easily run up, as in large storerooms, either to the ceiling or to a lesser height, and whereby shelves may be selectively mounted on short notice and so that such shelves will always be level and may be located at uniform heights and in any of a plurality of positions. An incidental object is to provide such a structure so that shelf brackets and shelves carried thereby may extend from either or both sides of such a wall into either or both of adjacent rooms formed by the wall installation.

A further object is to provide a metal stud wall construction, whereon shelves are to be mounted, whereby vertical shelf-mounting supports, such as channel irons, and the metal studs may be easily vertically adjusted relative to one another to insure that movable shelf-mounting brackets, and eventually the shelves, may be disposed exactly level and then rigidly bound together.

It is also an object to provide a metal stud and wall construction wherein metal parts, and also wallboard employed, may be connected and secured by means of selfthreading screws.

Other objects of the invention and various features of construction thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the wall construction art upon reference to the following specification and the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a wall, parts being broken away, wherein the interior structure of such wall is produced from metal, the exterior surfaces being of wallboard, the positioning of adjustable shelf-bracket means and a shelf being also illustrated.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section through a metal wall stud, such as indicated by the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, wherein means is provided for mounting shelf brackets and shelves at both sides of the wall;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to thatof FIG. 2 of a structure providing for the mounting of shelf brackets and shelves on only one side of the wall, this View showing also metal trim strips finishing spaced edges of opposing wallboard sections;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary showing of the mounting of a shelf bracket;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an air-stop; and

FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 show variations of the structures of FIGS. 1 to 3.

As indicated in FIGURE 1, a plurality of upstanding stud assembly units 10 is employed in appropriately spaced relationship along the locus of the wall being erected. Each assembly unit 10 includes especially at least one vertical heavy-gauge slotted channel iron 12, and a plurality of vertically spaced light-gauge stud-retaining spring clips 14 welded to the opposite flanges of the respective channel iron support 12. The weld spots are indicated at 14a.

Where each assembly unit 10 is to include a slotted channel iron support 12 at each side of the wall being constructed, the opposite edges of the flanged stud-retaining clips 14 are welded at 14a to the respective flange walls of the two channel supports 12. Such a structure is indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. With such arrangements, :1 vertical spacer 15 is disposed between the main or back walls of the opposed spring stud-retaining clips 14 and extends longitudinally at their middle portions. These spacers 15 are in general Z-shaped and are spot-welded to the clips 14 as indicated at 15a. Should it be desired to employ only one of the slotted channel iron supports 12, as indicated in the structure of FIG. 3, the same Z- shaped spacer 15 is employed, but it is moved from the middle position of FIG. 2 outward away from the channel support 12 to a position such as indicated in FIG. 3.

It will be noted that the location of each stud-retaining clip 14 on the respective channel iron support 12 is such that the respective flange portion 14b (FIGS. 1 and 2), when in operating position, is substantially flush with the web portion 12b of the channel support 12. Such web 12b is in the form of a slotted plate member or main wall constituting a bracket-supporting portion of the member 12. Thus, the edges of the openings or slots 12a are substantially flush with the outer faces of the flanges 14b of the adjacent clips 14 and with the web 12b of the support 12 between the flanges 12c thereof.

Thus, each stud assembly unit 10, thus composed of either one or two of the described slotted channel iron supports 12, the spring stud retaining clips 14 and the intervening spacers 15, is initially a rigid assembly unit ready to be set up in constructing a wall.

When such assembly units 10 are to be installed, they will be vertically arranged in appropriately longitudinally spaced relationship, which spacing may, for example, be on a 2 ft. or a 4 ft. basis, as required. The stud assembly 10 required at each location is then completed by employing appropriate channeled metal studs 20 having substantially flat main webs provided at their edges with wide flanges 22, and then frictionally inserting such studs 20 between the wide flanges 14b of the vertically spaced studretaining spring clips 14 at the opposite sides of the unit 10 so that the wide flanges 22 of the studs 20 snugly frictionally engage the flanges 14b. The width of the clips 14 is such as to receive the standard metal studs 20, this being typically approximately 3 /2 inches. The widths of both the flanges 14b and the flanges 22 may be about 1% to 1 /2 inches. Thus, the flanges 14b and 22 are substantially co-extensive in width, and the studs 20 and clips 14 are, as illustrated, substantially rectangular with parallel walls interfitting in parallel relation as shown. Under these circumstances the length of the clips 14 may be about 6 inches. To provide a suitable grip, the flanges 14b are initially sprung somewhat inwardly, or overbent, as best indicated at the left of FIG. 1. Since the corners of the studs 20 at the fold lines are typically appreciably curved in the bending machine, the studs 20 may be readily forced into the clips 14 between the flanges 14b to assume the flat parallel relations illustrated in the various figures. This provides initially a frictional adjustable grip of the flange-s 14b on the flanges 22.

The assemblies of the metal studs 20 with the units 10 being completed as just described, whereby the metal studs 20 are snugly held in their required positions in the clips 14, proper vertical adjustment of the slots 12a of the respective channel support 12 with relation to the adjacent studs 20 is made, with respect to other channel supports 12, to insure level shelves. This is done by sliding the clips 14 on the studs 20. If deemed essential for maintaining such adjustment, an occasional spot weld of a flange 14b to the adjacent stud flange 22 may be produced. Thus, each stud assembly 10, such as seen in FIG. 2, comprises two channeled metal studs 20 rigidly connected, with their main webs in opposed parallel relation, by the above noted spot welds (along with the self-threading screws 35 infra) and by the spot welds at Ma supra. Horizontal spacing of stud assemblies is then effected through the medium of horizontally extending channeled stiffening bars 25, which typically are of much heavier gauge material than that of the metal studs and the spring clips 14 but may be lighter than that of the heavy gauge slotted channel iron supports 12. The transverse stiffening bars 25 are positioned by passing them through holes 26 initially made in the web portions of the metal studs 20 for that purpose. Thus, these holes may be rectangular or of other suitable formation to receive the stiffening bars 25 in appropriate contacting relationship. In that relationship, the stiffening bars 25 are then welded in fixed position. Such transverse stiffening bars are used in vertically spaced relationship one above another, a typical spacing being approximately 2 ft. The welding of these 'bars in position in the metal studs 20, where they are located in the openings 26, is indicated at 23.

For completing the wall as a whole, slabs of wallboard 30 are employed. These are vertically arranged with their side edges opposed in a manner to leave a space 32, as indicated in various figures. These may be, for example, the usual 4 x 8' wallboard slabs. The purpose of leaving the space 32 between adjacent slabs is to make the slots 12a in the channel iron supports 12 available for insertion of shelf brackets 34, or the like, so that these shelf brackets may be shifted at will to any vertical position desired as made possible by the slots 12a.

A very important aspect of the present improvement is found in the fact that, when the wallboards 30 are set in position for attachment, such as indicated in FIG. 1, they may be secured by the use of any appropriate screwsetting machine, which typically acts to drive self-threading screws 35 into position, as indicated through the wallboard itself and through flanges 14b of the stud-retaining clips 14, and the flanges 22 of the metal studs 20. The heads 36 of the screws 35 are by this operation countersunk somewhat into the wallboards 30 as indicated at 38.

When the wallboards 30 are mounted as just indicated, the wall presented is thus ready for finishing in whatever manner preferred, including painting.

If desired, the ends or edges of the wallboard 30 may be fitted into light-metal channel trim strips shown at 40 in FIGS. 1 and 3. This particular trim possesses some yieldability so that it will snap over the edge of a wallboard 30. It has a backwall member 42 which is penetrated by the respective self-threading screws 35 and thereby holds the trim-piece 40 in place. An outer overhanging portion 44 is connected with an intermediate Web-portion 45 by means of a cement-retaining bead 46. With a construction like this, when the wall is being finished, a quantity of joint cement is applied over the edge portion of the board 30 to fill the counter-sinking cavities 38 and the area within the bead 46, the cement being feathered to a taper away from the edge, as indicated. Thereafter, the wall may be painted or otherwise coated to yield a smooth,'neat, finished surface.

The wallboard surfaces 30 having thus been finished, the intervening vertical slots 32 between the wallboards 30 serve to expose the short slots 12a of the channel supports 12 for placing the brackets 34. The latter have typical inward locking portions movable into position to engage within the slots 12a somewhat as seen in FIG. 4. Mounting of shelves upon the brackets 34 in any appropriate manner prepares the wall for use for displaying or storing goods and the like as may be desired. Again, the brackets 34 may be in the form of hooks or other mounting devices to carry other objects to be supported, including even lighting fixtures.

As indicated in FIG. 3, the brackets 34 are stabilized in their operative positions by having the channel trim strips 4% on opposing edges of adjacent wallboard sections 30 positioned. to bear firmly against the sides of the brackets 34. Such positioning may be effected by shifting opposing trim strips 40 toward the respective vertical slot 32 just before the screws 35 are driven into anchoring positions. Suflicient space at the slot 32 is left only to accommodate brackets 34 when installed. Otherwise, as.

indicated in FIG. 6, the unfaced edges of the wallboard sections 30 may bear directly against the sides of the brackets 34.

The slots 12a in the channel iron supports 12 are exposed through the elongated openings 32 to ambient room air tending to establish a draft that can cause air circulation thus creating a fire hazard. It is therefore desirable to provide some means which will prevent air circulation through the elongated opening 32 and the slots 12a into the channels of the supports 12 and into the wall space between the metal studs 20 and the wallboards 30. For this purpose air stops 65 (FIG. 5) are used Within the channels of the channel iron supports 12 in such number as may be desired. These air stops 65 are themselves channel-shaped so that they may assume the positions seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Such air stops 65 may be of relatively short length, such as 2 ft., and each is provided at its 0pposite ends with an overhanging flange member or end piece 66 which may be either integral or Welded in position. Thus, each air-stop 65 encloses between its ends a series of slots 12a to interrupt circulation through such slots into the interior of the wall, and the flanges 66 prevent air circulation up or down within the respective channel portions.

A variation of the stud arrangement of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 is shown in FIG. 6 where the studs 20 are reversed in their clips 14. Thus, the stud main webs act to brace better the outer edges of the clip flanges 1417 when the screws 35 are installed. Also, the weld points 28 on the studs 20 are spaced farther apart along the brace bars 25.

A variation of the stud structure of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 that may be useful in some installations is indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8. This consists of the employment of wooden 2' x 4 studs in place of the metal studs 20, and appropriately the use of nails rather than screws 35, although, as indicated in one position, screws 35 may be used. With this arrangement, the broad side walls of the 2' x 4' studs 120 are engaged by the broad inner faces of the flanges 14b of the clips 14 and retained in the same general relationship as with the metal studs 20'. Otherwise, the structural arrangements are the same as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, except that the metallic bracing 25 may be omitted or replaced by any other form of bracing desired.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a novel rigid metal stud and wall construction has been provided. Since variations within the spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art it is intended to cover all such as fall within the scope of the claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A wall stud assembly including an upstanding elongated channel iron support providing opposite flanges and a connecting web between said flanges;

vertically spaced stud-retaining clips secured to said support, each clip having flat opposed substantially parallel flanges and a web connecting such flanges, said clips having their webs rigidly secured transversely to the opposite flanges of said support with said flat flanges longitudinally paralleling said support;

such clip flanges on each support flange being aligned in vertical positions;

spacing means rigidly secured between opposed clips at the opposed sides of said clips and stabilizing the assembly;

and elongated substantially rectangular upstanding flanged metal studs mounted between the flanges of said clips with the flanges of the studs in frictional engagement between the flanges of the respective clips, the widths of the flanges of the clips and of the studs being approximately co-extensive.

2. An assembly, as in claim 1 wherein said web of the channel support is provided with slots for removably receiving brackets extending therefrom.

3. An assembly as in claim 2 including air-stop means in said channel support, said air-stop means being channel means fitting said channel support to overlie a plurality of said slots and having means at its ends to block airflow therethrough.

4. An assembly as in claim 1 including wallboards fixed to the engaging flanges of said clips and studs.

5. An assembly as in claim 4 wherein said support is provided with slots and said slots receive removable projecting brackets and said boards are spaced to expose said slots and receive said brackets.

6. A wall structure including:

an elongated channel-iron support providing opposite flanges and a connecting web;

spaced stud-retaining spring clips welded to said opposite flanges of said channel support and having flat spring flanges;

flanged metal studs disposed along the opposite sides of said channel support and mounted in said spring clips, the flanges of said studs being flat and frictionally engaging between said flat spring flanges;

and means rigidly securing together adjacent flanges of said clips and studs.

7. A structure as in claim 6 wherein said connecting web of said support is provided with outwardly opening slots to receive projecting supports.

8. A structure as in claim 6 wherein said securing means are self-threading screws extending through adjacent flanges of said clips and studs.

9. A wall structure as in claim 8 including wallboard secured to said adjacent flanges by said self-threading screws.

10. A wall structure as in claim 9 wherein said connecting web of said channel support is provided with outwardly opening slots for receiving brackets, and said wallboard includes sections spaced to expose said slots.

11. A wall structure as in claim 1% wherein opposing edges of said wallboard sections are positioned to bear against said brackets.

12. A structure as in claim 6 wherein said connecting web is provided with outwardly opening slots, said structure including:

wallboard sections mounted on opposite sides of said slots in position to reveal the latter; and

supporting brackets mounted in and projecting from said slots, the opposing edges of said wallboard sections lying closely adjacent and stabilizing said brackets.

13. A structure as in claim 12 wherein said securing means are self-threading screws extending through said wallboard sections and the flanges of said clips and studs.

14. In a wall structure:

5 an elongated upstanding channel-iron support providing opposite flanges and an interconnecting web;

vertically spaced stud-retaining clips fixed to said opposite flanges of said channel support and having flatwalled flanges;

flat-walled studs disposed along opposite sides of said channel support and mounted in said clips with the flat walls of said flanges snugly engaging flat side walls of said studs in assembled relation; and

means rigidly securing the engaging flat walls together. 15 15. A structure as in claim 14, wherein said upstanding support is provided with outwardly opening slots having projecting bracket means mounted in said slots.

16. A structure as in claim 15 having wallboards mounted on said studs in opposing relation with their opposing edges engaging side walls of said bracket means.

17. In a wall stud assembly: an upstanding elongated channel iron support providing opposite flanges and a connecting web between said flanges, stud-retaining clips secured to at least one flange of said support in vertically spaced relation, each clip having a web fixed to said one support flange; opposing flat flanges outstanding from the sides of each clip web in substantially parallel relationship and parallel to said support, each clip web being secured in transverse relation to said one support flange, the flanges of said clips at opposite sides being longitudinally aligned in position to receive flat walls of a vertical stud in contiguous relation between opposing flat flanges of said clips, said webs and flanges providing walls; means rigidly securing contiguous walls and flanges together; and stabilizing means fixed to the other flange of said support and to said clips. 18. An assembly as in claim 17 including a flat walled stud received in contiguous relation between said flat flanges of said clips.

References Cited by the Examiner FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

I. L. RIDGILL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WALL STUD ASSEMBLY INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING ELONGATED CHANNEL IRON SUPPORT PROVIDING OPPOSITE FLAGES AND A CONNECTING WEB BETWEEN SAID FLANGES; VERTICALLY SPACED STUD-RETAINING CLIPS SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT, EACH CLIP HAVING FLAT OPPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FLANGES AND A WEB CONNECTING SUCH FLANGES, SAID CLIPS HAVING THEIR WEBS RIGIDLY SECURED TRANSVERSELY TO THE OPPOSITE FLANGES OF SAID SUPPORT WITH SAID FLAT FLANGES LONGITUDINALLY PARALLELING SAID SUPPORT; SUCH CLIP FLANGES ON EACH SUPPORT FLANGE BEING ALIGNED IN VERTICAL POSITIONS; SPACING MEANS RIGIDLY SECURED BETWEEN OPPOSED CLIPS AT THE OPPOSED SIDES OF SAID CLIPS AND STABILIZING THE ASSEMBLY; AND ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR UPSTANDING FLANGED METAL STUDS MOUNTED BETWEEN THE FLANGES OF SAID CLIPS WITH THE FLANGES OF THE STUDS IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE FLANGES OF THE RESPECTIVE CLIPS, THE WIDTHS OF THE FLANGES OF THE CLIPS AND OF THE STUDS BEING APPROXIMATELY CO-EXTENSIVE. 